No Time To Die: James Bond film starring Daniel Craig pushed back to 2021

The release of the new film has been delayed again due the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the worldwide theatrical business

The release of new James Bond film No Time to Die has been delayed again, this time due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

MGM, Universal and Bond producers, Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, said on Twitter on Friday 2 October that the 25th installment in the franchise will now open in cinemas on 2 April 2021.

No Time to Die was originally supposed to open in April 2020, but was pushed back to 12 November in the U.K. and 20 November in the US. 

It was one of the first Hollywood films to abandon its release before cinemas in the US shut down in mid-March, because of the coronavirus pandemic.

No Time to Die will be Daniel Craig’s final outing as 007. In a new interview, it was hinted that strands featured in films including Casino Royale (2006), Quantum of Solace (2008) and Skyfall (2012) will be addressed before he bows out.

Speaking on the forthcoming film's official podcast, Barbara Broccoli called it “a culmination of everything that his portrayal of the character has been through”.

“It ties up all the storylines,” she said, adding: “It's a pretty epic film, I have to say.”

Broccoli’s comments back up previous comments made by filmmaker Cary Fukunaga, who reworked the film's script after taking over from original director, Danny Boyle.

“In terms of what I can bring to change the character, Bond is on a character arc that started with Casino Royale, and I will be carrying that on," he said.

“There will be changes, I am sure. As in any story, a character has to change in order [to have] a narrative.”

Daniel Craig returns for his final outing as James Bond in ‘No Time to Die' (Universal Pictures)

While the film will have a more direct link to previous movie Spectre (2017) due to the return of Blofeld (Christoph Waltz) and Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux), it seems No Time to Die will bring things full circle for Craig's Bond.

The film from director Cary Joji Fukunaga stars Daniel Craig as 007, Rami Malek, Lashana Lynch and Ana de Armas.